Dogs win home opener 3-0
Sanford leads way, as Hamilton breaks out in third to beat Rockford
Garry McKay
The Hamilton Spectator
(Oct 10, 2009)
For the longest time last night it appeared as though the Bulldogs might get shutout in their home opener.
Two goals in 31 seconds midway through the third ended that concern, however, and lifted the Dogs to a 3-0 win over the Rockford IceHogs in front of an opening night crowd of 6,187 at Copps Coliseum.
Ryan White scored what would turn out to be the winner on a power play at 9:14. He was just off the side of the net and jumped on a rebound of a shot by J.T. Wyman.
That goal was still being announced when Tom Pyatt made it 2-0 at 9:45 on a solo effort from the right faceoff circle.
Andrew Conboy added even more insurance at 16:30 from the edge of the right faceoff circle off a perfect feed from White.
White’s goal broke up an outstanding goaltending battle between Bulldogs netminder Curtis Sanford and Corey Crawford of the IceHogs.
Sanford turned aside all 38 Rockford shots for the shutout.
The Bulldogs who were terrible in their home openers early in their tenure in Hamilton have now won their last two, both by shutouts. Last year they blanked Hartford 2-0 in their home opener.
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Notes: Rockford president and general manager Mark Bernard, a Hamilton native, was a between-periods guest on the Bulldogs radio broadcast and was highly critical of mayor Fred Eisenberger for his lack of support for the Dogs during the ill-fated attempt by Jim Balsillie to bring the Phoenix Coyotes to the Steel City…. The Bulldogs players have been given the long weekend off. Since they flew from the Canadiens training camp to Scotland for the games there and then back to Hamilton most of the players have to go back to Montreal to pick up their vehicles. … TheDogs are back on the ice Tuesday and don’t play again until next Friday when they visit Peoria…. It’s pretty rare to hear fans booing a player on the home team during the pregame introduction at their home opener, but Bulldogs fans did just that, loudly, when Sergei Kostitsyn was introduced.
Hits and Misses
Molson Cup Three Stars: 1. Curtis Sanford, Hamilton. 2. Ryan White, Hamilton. 3. Ben Maxwell, Hamilton.
Flamboro Workhorse of the Game (hardest working Bulldog): T.J. Wyman.
Scratches: Maxime Lacroix, Dany Masse, David Desharnais, Mikhael Johansson.
Shots on goal: Hamilton 41 Rockford 38.
Attendance: 6,187
Up next: The Dogs are in Peoria next Friday.
